1996 - Thug Life : Volume 2 (with Outlaw Immortalz)

  • Oct. 95 - Jan. 96 : Outlaw Immortalz supergroup album sessions.
  • After having produced his first Death Row recordings for a solo album, and notably "When We Ride", 2Pac started to record tracks for a new project to promote his friends and to give a follow up to Thug Life : Volume One.
  • Thug Life Volume 2 the real !!!! Dramacydal replacing Double Jeopardy ; Dogg Pound and Death Row engineers replacing the Live Squad, Pro-Jay, Moe-Z...
  • What happened ? A first version of the album was probably more or less given to Interscope circa January of 96, ready to be the second album of 2Pac's contract with Death Row. After Mopreme was kicked off of Death Row, and with the end of the Thug Pound promo project, the album probably received new fresh mixdown but was definitely burried after Big Syke left the label in late March.
  • Sources : handwritten tracklists ; Makaveli 2 bootleg
 
Pictures from 95 December 24, by Chi-Modu
The Outlaw Immortalz : (up) Mopreme, Hussein, Kastro, Big Syke, Edi
(down) 2Pac, Napoleon, Kadafi

### There is no known material sequence for this project, only two handwritten tracklists. We chose to follow the second one of them because most of the songs recorded for the project were listed on it. We only took off "Secretz of War" which was sounding a bit differently from the rest, and was more accurate in When I Get Free (All Eyez on Me first sessions). We also presume that the disappeared tracks from the first tracklist ("Outlaw Immortalz", "Komradz", "Fair Exchange" or "Blunt Tyme") were either scrapped or given to Thug Pound. ###

LISTEN to that album HERE

  1. Soon As I Get Home
  2. Teardrops and Closed Caskets (Rough Mix) feat. Nate Dogg 
  3. Hit 'Em Up (Original Version) feat. Storm & Prince Ital Joe
  4. Secretz of War feat. Kurupt
  5. There U Go (Rough Mix) feat. Mr. Malik & Puff Johnson
  6. Jack Move (Original Version) feat. Daz
  7. Where U Been feat. Danny Boy - incomplete/mix error/fixed
  8. He Vs. She (Rough Mix) feat. Storm
  9. What's Next (Rough Mix) feat. Prince Ital Joe & Natasha Walker  
  10. Play Your Cards Right (Female Version) feat. Michel'le
  11. Grab The Mic (Thru My Rearview) (Rough Mix)
  12. Fuck 'Em All (No Dear God)
  13. Fade Me feat. Precious
  14. If They Love Their Kidz (Rough Mix)
  15. Letter 2 The President (Rough Mix)
  16. Still Ballin' (Rough Mix) feat. Kurupt
Outlaw Immortalz sessions :
  1. Komradz feat. Storm 
  2. Don't Stop The Music (Rough Mix) feat. Nanci Fletcher 
  3. Outlaw Immortalz
  4. Where U Been (Rough Mix)
  5. Penitentiary Bound feat. Prince Ital Joe - incomplete
  6. Fair Exchange (Synthé Mix) feat. Hurt-M-Badd
  7. 6 or 12 - incomplete
  8. Better Dayz (Unfinished Mix)
Bonus Disc : Thug Life March Mixdown
  1. What's Next feat. Thug Life, Prince Ital Joe & Natasha Walker
  2. Still Ballin' feat. Kurupt
  3. 2 My Unborn Child feat. Natasha Walker
  4. Fuck 'Em All (No Movie Sample) feat. Outlawz
  5. Don't Stop The Music (Short Mix) feat. Outlawz & Nanci Fletcher
  6. Letter 2 The President (Short Mix) feat. Outlawz & Big Syke
  7. He Vs. She (Short Mix) feat. Storm
  8. Play Your Cards Right (Male Version) feat. Outlawz, Thug Life & Hurt M Badd
  9. Fade Me (Storm Version) feat. Storm & Precious - snippet 
  10. Outlaw Immortalz (Short Mix)
  11. Fair Exchange (No Synthé) feat. Hurt-M-Badd

  13. M.O.B. (Money Over Bitches) feat. Outlawz & Thug Life
  14. There U Go (Final Mix) feat. Big Syke, Outlawz, Mr. Malik & Puff Johnson - no malik edit
  15. Still I Rise feat. Outlawz & Big Syke
  16. If They Love Their Kidz (Short Mix) feat. Outlawz
  17. Grab The Mic (Thru My Rear View)
  18. Teardrops and Closed Caskets (Short Mix) feat. Outlawz & Nate Dogg
 

 

A follow-up to Thug Life Volume One !

Thug Life Volume 2 was a real project. I think the Chi-Modu photoshoot pictures have been taken for that specific album cover and booklet.

Out of jail, Pac started to think about giving a follow-up to the first volume of Thug Life. But part of the original line-up of the group has disappeared (Rated R was in jail for murder... Macadoshis ?). The concept of "Outlaw Immortalz" as a supergroup gathering the rest of Thug Life, Dramacydal and Fatal N Felony firstly appeared in the track "When We Ride" in which Pac started to give nicknames to his partners after famous (or infamous) dictators.

So while 2Pac was recording tracks for his solo album All Eyez on Me, he was also recording specific tracks for the group album. Old Thug Life friends like Natasha Walker from Y?N-Vee, Prince Ial Joe (who was on the first song called "Thug Life" and Nate Dogg (in the TL's hit "How Long Will They Mourn Me") added their part to find back the taste of the first Thug Life. But 2Pac also needed to replace Stretch/Live Squad as producer/guest that was an important part of the identity of the first volume. Dogg Pound Gangsta (Dogg Pound, Daz as a producer, Kurupt as a rapper) became the new touch, the Death Row signature. Danny Boy was announced in the known tracklists but he's finally rare. The real new unpredictable point is the appearance of Storm, the female rapper, maybe not as a full time member of the group, but as a regular partner (like Tupac tried to do with Yanni and Dee Tha Maad Bitch in Thug Life Volume 1). 


 
 
 
 handwritten draft tracklist of the project 
 

1. Mid December of 95. Title "Outlaw Immortalz". 

Probably just after the recording session with QD3 in the 10-13 of December. "Letter 2 The Prez" is strangely not included. "Don't U Niggaz have Kidz" (produced by QDIII) and "On Top of The World" (Moe-Z mix, original is produced by Mopreme) are not recorded yet (maybe 2Pac will record Letter 2 The President" and Moe Z will remix "Where Will I Be". It includes some songs that were left over during All Eyez on Me process : "Outlaw Immortalz", "Fade Me", "Secretz of War", "Fair Exchange" and "Blunt Tyme". Could it mean that this "Blunt Time" features also Outlaw Immortalz members on side of Lady of Rage ? Anyway, it indicates that 2Pac really took this project seriously by giving it another Dre production, whereas he still could have added it to All Eyez on Me (final mix was not over).


copy of a known second tracklist

2. Mid of January of '96. "Outlaw Immortalz : Thug Life Volume II". 

Probably just after the recordings of "Grab The Mic" and "He Vs. She" circa 12-13 of January, before the This Life I Lead/Dumpin sessions the 18th of January with the Dogg Pound. It does not have "Blunt Tyme" anymore... Coult it mean that the song was not really recorded (it could be just an instrumental or a version with just Lady of Rage and Dre awaiting for guests...). "Fade Me" does not credit Storm so her verse could have been added later in January as she recorded new songs with 2Pac but not that much later because she disappeared after that month until June One Nation sessions (unless it was recorded circa May for Outlawz first album). It does neither include "Still I Rise", nor "Late Night", nor "Initiated".

None of these tracklists are satisfying. The track order doesn't looks good. I decided to not include "Secretz of War" here, but more likely in When I Get Free compilation, because it was a really early track (with Fatal N Felony feature) and because the song was in every early Euthanasia/Me Against The World/When I Get Free tracklists (and because we have only one mix of this "Rules" version). And I made a double CD tracklist because there were also a lot of unused tracks / alternate mixes. The difficult part is to make a difference with the Thug Pound (Thug Life + Dogg Pound) album project.

 

An expected project vanished

In January of 96, Mopreme argued with Suge Knight (is it about money for his work, like Syke and Johnny J later, or is there a Blood & Crips issue ?). It is said Mo was drunk and Suge's men beat him up or forced him to strip outside in the snow and he after that left the label and the group. Mopreme was not in many songs of the project but as Tupac's stepbrother and original Thug Life member, he was important and it probably made Tupac change his plans after his departure. Maybe some tracks could be given to Thug Pound project. Then 2Pac started to record his second solo album (cf. All New Heat & 100% Black Gold). He still uses the concept of "Outlaw Immortalz" in February ("Changed Man", "If There's a Cure") but it disappeared after. When Syke signed elsewhere for his solo album (around april of 96) the initial project was definitely buried and the group turned into the shorten Outlawz (no more members of Thug Life), some songs being remade for that new project ("Hit Em Up" of course, but "Secretz of War", "Thru My Rearview" (and maybe  "There U Go"). "Soon As I Get Home" and "What'z Next", "Fade Me" also appear in early tracklists of that album. Some songs, which have alternate mixes could have been made for a Lil Homies intermediary project Syke+Outlawz in February-March.

 
 
The Outllaw Immortalz are :
- 2Pac => Makaveli (16th century italian philosopher)
Thug Life :
- Big Syke => Mussolini (Benito Mussolini, Italia),
- Mopreme => Komani (Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran)
Dramacydal+Fatal N Felony :
- Big Malc => Edi (Idi Amin Dada, Uganda)
- K-Dogg => Kastro (Fidel Castro, Cuba)
- Mutah => Napoleon (Napoléon Bonaparte, France)
- Young Hollywood (Felony) => Kadafi (Mouammar Kadhafi, Lybia)
- Fatal => Hussein (Saddam Hussein, Iraq)
 
Close partners :
old partners already in Thug Life vol. 1 sessions : 
- Johnny J
- Natasha Walker of Y?N-Vee
- Prince Ital Joe
- Nate Dogg
new :
- Storm aka Mabavek (????)
- Hurt-M-Badd
- Danny Boy aka Baby Face (american bank robber)
- Daz & Kutupt aka Dillinger & Young Gotti (John Dillinger & John Gotti Jr.)
- Snoop Dogg aka Corleone (boss of the Sicilian mafia)

 

DETAILED TRACKLIST

(Special thanks to Bomb1st members Filla and Dominator for samples credits)

DISC ONE

01. Soon As I Get Home feat. Kadafi / QD3
  • 1995/12/10. Released in its original form in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). The song will reappear in early Outlawz 1st LP tracklists (cf. Immortalz). It is the very first 2Pac's song produced by QD3. Quincy Jones III is the son of the famous jazz/rhythm & blues trumpeter and producer of the same name. He started to produce in late 80's for Special K, his father's hip-hop album Back On The Block, Tairrie B of Bardeux/Ruthless, before releasing his Soundlab album in 91 with artists Justin Warfield, Poet Society, Jazzy D, 213 and Kenyatta (maybe not one of the credited voices of "Lord Knows" in Me Against The World). Then he produced for Justin Warfield solo album, for Da Lench Mob on Menace II Society and Panther soundtracks, Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Yo-Yo, LL Cool J, Naughty By Nature, Too $hort, Mexakinz, Coolio, for Don Jagwarr's album Faded where 2Pac was also featured and even for Prince "Letitgo remix"...
  • Samples :
02. Tear Drops & Closed Caskets (Rough Mix) feat. Outlawz & Nate Dogg / QD3
  • 1995/12/11. Fairly remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope). This song can clearly be seen as a follow up to "How Long Will They Mourn Me" from Thug Life : Volume One : same funeral topic and a same lightful chorus by Nate Dogg. An alternate known date of recording for the Reel (22th of February) could be an advanced mix of the song (maybe for the Thug Life-Outlawz intermediary project Lil' Homies).
  • Samples :
03. Hit 'Em Up (Original Version) feat. Napoleon, Edi, Hussein, Kadafi, Storm & Prince Ital Joe / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/10/31. It doesn't appear in All Eyez on Me tracklists so it could be understood like the real beginning of Thug Life 2 project (consecutively to "When We Ride" recorded a few days earlier, the 27th of October). In early bootlegs, you could find the title "Hit 'Em Up 2" but it is the real original first version of the song. You can hear a piece of the Storm's verse not yet erased in the Demo version of the second version (cf. Me Against The World pt. 2).
  • Samples :

04. Secretz of War feat. Hussein, Kadafi & Big Syke / Johnny J

  • 1995/10/19. Included in early All Eyez On Me October version (cf. All Eyez On Me Demo). There would be an alternate first take of the song but it is still unleaked.
05. There U Go (Wrong Start) feat. Big Syke, Kastro, Kadafi, Edi, Puff Johnson & Mr. Malik (Illegal) / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/10/24-30 (Lil' Malik added ?). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). Mr. Malik (of the group Illegal) is featured in the albums of Snoop Dogg (93), Warren G (94) and Dogg Pound (95). So why not with 2Pac ? His part is said to have been added a few days after the other but the mixes without him could be fanmade. There is an unfinished mix with Nanci Fletcher singing during each verse, and a more advanced mix without but with a fall down during Malik's speaking verse (maybe made for Lil' Homies intermediary project). The song will reappear in Outlawz 1st LP tracklists, cf. Immortalz, eventually in a Johnny J remix version without Syke.
  • Samples :
    • Keith Sweat - "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" 
06. Jack Move (Original Version) by Daz, Big Syke, Kadafi, Kastro, Hussein & unknown speaking (?) / Daz
  • 1994/10/17 (?) (original beat) - 1995/12/22 (verses). Released in Tha Last of Tha Pound (2002, DPG) with an additional Kurupt verse (presumably added in February 27 of 96 for Dogg Pound second album project (cf. Dogg Shit / West Coast Aftershock). In this early version he only gives a bar at the beginning of the song (like the beginning of a verse mistakenly omitted...). Could it be the remaining of the song recorded in 94...? The instrumental would re-use an unused Murder Was The Case beat (maybe an alternate version of the beat used for Slip Capone's "The Eulogy"). In this version the speaking intro is different (not from Syke) and there is also another voice speaking after Hussein's verse. Probably Death Row inmates...
  • Samples :
07. Where U Been (Error Mix) feat. Big Syke, Hussein, Napoleon, Edi & Danny Boy / Big Syke & Johnny J - ERROR MIX, EDIT, REMAKE
  •  1995/11/06. All leaked mixes are corrupted, with error in middle of Syke's verse, without Syke or without 2Pac's verse, or with an unsatisfying mixdown.
  • Samples :
08. He Vs. She (4 My Niggaz) (Rough Mix) feat. Storm / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1996/01/13 - ? (Final Mix). Sort of allegiance to the new 2Pac's Thug Life concept : "My enemies your enemies" ; "Fuck Bad Boy"... Another link with Thug Life Volume 1 : this song uses the same sample than "Fuck All Y'All", recorded for Stay True with Duane Nettlesbey (but later intended for a short lived Thug Life Lost Tracks compilation project, cf. Honor Among Thugz / Exodus / Makaveli 6). The sample was probably the idea of 2Pac and he asked Johnny J to make a new beat with it, like for "What'z Next"...
  • Samples : 
    • George Benson - "Breezin'" (melody)
09. What's Next (Rough Mix) feat. Mopreme, Big Syke, Prince Ital Joe & Natasha Walker (chorus) / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/11/16. Remixed in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). Maximum line-up of the old Thug Life formation : Prince Ital Joe from the first song of the original project & Natasha Walker from YN?-Vee were already in the first Thug Life Demo in 1993. It still lacks Macadoshis, Rated R (then condemned for murder) and of course Stretch. Like "He Vs. She", the song re-uses a sample 2Pac already used for "Where Do We Go From Here ?" (cf. Exodus). The sample was probably an original idea of 2Pac who asked Johnny J to produce another beat with it.
  • Samples :
10. Play Your Cards Right (Female Version) feat. Big Syke, Mopreme, Edi, Kadafi & Michel'le / Johnny J
  • 1996/01/10. Remixed in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). This version is probably the first take of the song. The next day Michel'le will give a new chorus for "Wonda Why They Call U Bytch" for All Eyez On Me. Could it be the reason why Tupac recorded a second chorus with Hurt-M-Badd ? Maybe at that time he decided to transfer "Fair Exchange" to Thug Pound.
  • Samples :
11. I Grab The Mic (Thru My Rear View pt. 1) (Rough Mix) / Johnny J - SNIPPET
12. Fuck 'Em All (No Dear God Mix) feat. Kadafi & Edi / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/12/12. Fairly remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). It seems to be an echo of "Fuck All Y'All" but all the world as an enemy has been replaced by a concrete enemy, "them" : Biggie and the Bad Boy crew (Me Against Them). The song re-uses the sample and many elements from "Gangsta P Funk" by Radio & Roc Chill, produced by Jerrel Mosley, Roc Chill and... Moe Z (credited as a co-producer and for the bass). Radio's album Recognize Da Real (Interscope, 1994) was mainly produced by Moe Z., and Radio is the ragga voice in "Runnin'" released in One Million Strong.
  • Sample : 
13. Fade Me (Long Mix) feat. Kastro, Napolean & Precious (chorus) / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/11/16 - ? (new mix). Appears firstly in All Eyez on Me tracklists (cf. All Eyez On Me (Demo)). The chorus is not from Jewell nor Nanci Fletcher nor Storm herself (they denied), but from a lesser known girl named Precious (maybe this girl). There is a still unleaked version with Storm : it could be an early take (even without 2Pac ?), or a late version made for Lil' Homies or Outlawz 1st LP.
  • Samples :
    • D'Angelo - "Lady" (melody, bassline)
    • George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" (sound effect)

14. If They Love Their Kidz (Rough Mix) feat. Napoleon & Kastro / Johnny J

15. Letter To The President (Long Mix) feat. Edi, Kastro & Big Syke / QD3

  • 1995/12/11. Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Amaru). Like for "Teardrops and Closed Caskets", an alternate known date of 96/02/22 seems to be an error or the date of an advanced mix of the song.

16. Still Ballin' (Rough Mix) feat. Kurupt / Johnny J

  • 1995/12/18. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). This is a follow-up to the song of Thug Life Volume 1 album, "Str8 Ballin'", which was closing the album. Kurupt seems to appear as a substitute for Stretch.
  • Samples :

BONUS TRACKS :



BONUS DISC : Outlaw Immortalz sessions

01. Komradz feat. Storm, Edi, Napoleon, Kadafi & Big Syke / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/11/28. Storm is speaking in the beginning.
  • Samples : 

. Fair Exchange (Synthé Version) feat. Hurt M Badd (B-Rezell) & Capucine Jackson (chorus) / 2Pac & Johnny J

  • 1995/11/13 - 11/20 (new mix). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). Said to have been recorded late at night after "Thug Passion" and eventually "Late Night" (with Fatal & Felony), it has been said that Tupac was tired and that both him & Johnny J didn't like the song. However Johnny J gave a second mix and the song appears in All Eyes on Me tracklists (cf. When I Get Free), and also in Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist, so topic and lyrics were kind of important for Tupac.
  • Samples : 

. Penitentiary Bound (by Napoleon, Kastro, Edi, Mopreme & Prince Ital Joe) / Johnny J & 2Pac

  • 1995/11/14. This song re-uses an old Johnny J beat used in a Mel-Low song called "Return of the Player" released in 1993 in the eponymous album. The leaked version of the song sounds incomplete. It has been said 2Pac's verse could have been cut for the leaking but he more likely never recorded his part... Maybe the song was waiting for another Death Row artist to give a verse...
  • Samples :

. 6 or 12 (by Kastro, Hussein, Big Syke, Edi & Kadafi) / Mike Mosley & Rick Rock (?)

  • 1995/11/28. Recorded the same day than "Komradz" (produced by Johnny J) and "Tradin' War Stories" and "Ain't Hard 2 Find" (both produced by Mosley & Rock). This song seems to be incomplete. Maybe 2Pac was on it but never recorded his verse, maybe Mopreme for a whole Thug Life thing, maybe a Dogg Pound member, maybe another Outlaw member like Storm who was in other songs recorded that day, maybe a Bay Area rapper or another Death Row artist like Sam Sneed...
 
(FINAL MIXDOWN)

01. What's Next feat. Mopreme, Big Syke, Prince Ital Joe & Natasha Walker (chorus) / Johnny J

  • 1995/11/16. Remixed in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). Maximum line-up of the old Thug Life formation : Prince Ital Joe from the first song of the original project & Natasha Walker from YN?-Vee were already in the first Thug Life Demo in 1993. It still lacks Macadoshis, Rated R (then condemned for murder) and of course Stretch. Like "He Vs. She", the song re-uses a sample 2Pac already used for "Where Do We Go From Here ?" (cf. Exodus). The sample was probably an original idea of 2Pac who asked Johnny J to produce another beat with it.
  • Samples :

02. Still Ballin' (Rough Mix) feat. Kurupt / Johnny J

  • 1995/12/18. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). This is a follow-up to the song of Thug Life Volume 1 album, "Str8 Ballin'", which was closing the album. Kurupt seems to appear as a substitute for Stretch.
  • Samples :

03. Letter To My Unborn feat. Natasha Walker  / Johnny J

04. Fuck 'Em All (Dear God Sample) feat. Kadafi & Edi / 2Pac & Johnny J

  • 1995/12/12 - ? (movie sample added). Fairly remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). It seems to be an echo of "Fuck All Y'All" but all the world as an enemy has been replaced by a concrete enemy, "them" : Biggie and the Bad Boy crew (Me Against Them). The song re-uses the sample and many elements from "Gangsta P Funk" by Radio & Roc Chill, produced by Jerrel Mosley, Roc Chill and... Moe Z (credited as a co-producer and for the bass). Radio's album Recognize Da Real (Interscope, 1994) was mainly produced by Moe Z., and Radio is the ragga voice in "Runnin'" released in One Million Strong.
  • Sample : 
05. Don't Stop The Music feat. Edi, Hussein & Nanci Fletcher / Johnny J
  • 1995/11/22 or 96/01/09 (?). Remixed in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). The song is dissing Delores Tucker because of her advice upon rap music and violent influence ; Tupac will again diss her in "Why U Turn On Me", but more because what she said upon him specifically.
  • Samples :

06. Letter To The President (Short Mix) feat. Edi, Kastro & Big Syke / QD3

  • 1995/12/11. Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Amaru). Like for "Teardrops and Closed Caskets", an alternate known date of 96/02/22 seems to be an error or the date of an advanced mix of the song.

07. He Vs. She (Short Mix) feat. Storm / Johnny J & 2Pac

  • 1996/01/13.
    • George Benson - "Breezin'" (melody)
08. Play Your Cards Right (Male Version) feat. Big Syke, Mopreme, Edi, Kadafi & Hurt M Badd / Johnny J
  • 1996/01/10. Remixed in Pac's Life (2006, Amaru). Last song recorded by Mopreme and Pac together. The first version is probably the one with Michel'le at the chorus. Hurt M Badd and 6 Feet Deep with additional vocals made another chorus for the this version.
  • Samples :
09. Fade Me (Storm Version) feat. Kastro, Napoleon, Storm & Precious / 2Pac & Johnny J - SNIPPET
  • 1995/11/16 - 1996/01 (?) (Storm added). The song appears firstly in All Eyez on Me tracklists (cf. When I Get Free), then in Outlaw Immortalz and later in May in Outlawz LP tracklist. So the song was probably loved by 2Pac. This snippet of Storm verse let think that out of Storm verse, the mix could be identical to the leaked one included in Thug Life Volume II.
  • Samples :
    • D'Angelo - "Lady" (melody, bassline)
    • George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" (sound effect)

10. Outlaw Immortalz (Rough Mix) feat. Kadafi, Hussein, Edi & Big Syke / Sam Sneed

  • 1995/10/26 - 1996/01/03 (new mix ?). Initially recorded for All Eyez On Me (cf. When I Get Free). Then included in the first Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist but not in the second one... 2Pac very probably transferred the track to Thug Pound, the kind of beat fitting more to that project, and the song offering promotion to another Death Row artist who was also preparing his album at that time : Sam Sneed (cf. Street Scholars). Gonzoe of Kausion said there was another version with him, which could have been recorded in January, like his other features for Thug Pound project, or later in May or August for a new Outlawz version, why not in replacement of Big Syke (Gonzoe appears in Ghett Starz guests list). It could also be a complete different song recorded for an Edi project (DAT with also "Don't Stop The Music" being credited to him).
  • Samples : 
11. Fair Exchange (No Synthé Mix) feat. Hurt M Badd & Capucine Jackson / 2Pac & Johnny J
  • 1995/11/13 - 11/20 (?) (new mix). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). Said to have been recorded late at night after "Thug Passion" and eventually "Late Night" (with Fatal & Felony), it has been said that Tupac was tired and that both him & Johnny J didn't like the song. However Johnny J gave a second mix and the song appears in All Eyes on Me tracklists (cf. When I Get Free), and also in Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist, so topic and lyrics were kind of important for Tupac.
  • Samples : 

12. M.O.B. (Money Over Bitches) feat. Hussein, Mopreme, Big Syke, Edi & Puff Johnson / Kurt Kobane

  • 1995/10/28. It has been said the song was supposed to be on All Eyez on Me, but the mix wasn't ready on time. In fact the song never appears in All Eyez on Me tracklists and has been recorded early... 2Pac raps some bars in spanish, and kicks about the famous name of a gang : MOB (Member of Blood). We could think at the difference with the first conception of "Thug Life" as a code of honor in order to appease the gang war... Now 2Pac have made a choice, entered the war... There is another version without the female chorus (maybe Puff Johnson who recorded a chorus for "U Can Call" and "I'd Rather Be Ya Nigga" around the same days).

13. There U Go (Final Mix) feat. Big Syke, Kastro, Kadafi, Edi, Mr. Malik & Puff Johnson / 2Pac & Johnny J - NO MALIK UNDERDOG EDIT

  • 1995/10/24-30 - ? (new mixdown ?). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). Mr. Malik (of the group Illegal) is featured in the albums of Snoop Dogg (93), Warren G (94) and Dogg Pound (95), also in unreleased Dr. Dre's sessions, so why not with 2Pac ? His part is said to have been added a few days after the other but the mixes without him could be fanmade. There is an unfinished mix with Nanci Fletcher singing during each verse, and a more advanced mix without but with a fall down during Malik's speaking verse and without 2Pac's outro. The song will reappear in Outlawz 1st LP tracklists, eventually with a Johnny J remix version without Syke (cf. Immortalz).
  • Samples :
    • Keith Sweat - "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" 

14. Still I Rise feat. Hussein, Kadafi & Big Syke (chorus) / Johnny J

  • 1995/10 - ? (final mix). Remixed in  Still I Rise (1999, Interscope). After having been dropped from All Eyez on Me, the song was kind of forgotten, why does it not appear in Thug Life Volume II project...?

15. If They Love Their Kidz (Short Mix) feat. Napoleon & Kastro / Johnny J

  • 1996/01/12. This first take has 2Pac taking a deep breath before the beginning of the beat, and no outro.
  • Samples : 
17. I Grab The Mic (Thru My Rear View pt. 1) (Short Mix) / Johnny J - SNIPPET
18. Tear Drops & Closed Caskets (Short Mix) feat. Outlawz & Nate Dogg / QD3
  • 1995/12/11. Fairly remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope). This song can clearly be seen as a follow up to "How Long Will They Mourn Me" from Thug Life : Volume One : same funeral topic and a same lightful chorus by Nate Dogg. An alternate known date of recording for the Reel (22th of February) could be an advanced mix of the song (maybe for the Thug Life-Outlawz intermediary project Lil' Homies).
  • Samples :


. Ambitionz az a Fighta (Mike Tyson Dedication) / Daz
  • 1995/12/14. Tyson really loved "Ambitionz az a Ridah" and used to listen to it before a fight OR during training. So 2Pac recorded this alternate version for him and it was played live during the entrance of Mike Tyson for his for his fight against Buster Mathis Jr. (95/12/16)
  • Samples :
. Thug Life (Moe-Z Remix) by Moe-Z (?) / Moe-Z Remixed - SNIPPET
  • 1995 (?). Moe-Z gives a verse over the beat he gave 2Pac in late 94 for the Young Thugz song "Thug Life" (cf. Young Thugz EP), finally unreleased. Is it a real remix from 95 or a later mix from Moe-Z ?








2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2025 at 10:49 PM

    Outlawz Immortalz: Thug Life, Volume 2 [2CD's]

    CD 1 :-

    1.Still I Rise (1995/10/19)
    2.Secretz of War (Rulez Version)(1995/10/19)
    3.Better Dayz (1995/10/23)
    4.The Struggle Continues (1995/10/24)
    5.U Can Call (1995/10/27)
    6.M.O.B. (Money Over Bitches) (1995/10/28)
    7.There U Go (1995/10/24) 10/30
    8.Where U Been (1995/11/06)
    9.Late Night (Outlawz Version)(1995/11/13)
    10.Fair Exchange (1995/11/13) 11/20
    11.Letter 2 My Unborn (1995/11/14) 11/27
    12.Penitentiary Bound (1995/11/16)
    13.What's Next (1995/11/16)
    14.Fade Me (1995/11/16)
    15.Don't Stop The Music (1995/11/22)
    16.Komradz (1995/11/28)

    CD2 :-

    1.Soon As I Get Home (1995/12/10)
    2.Teardrops and Closed Caskets (1995/12/11)
    3.Letter 2 The President (1995/12/11)
    4.Fuck 'Em All (1995/12/12)
    5.Still Ballin' (1995/12/18)
    6.Initiated (1995/12/22)
    7.Immortal (1996/01/03)
    8.Homeboyz (1996/01/09)
    9.Me & My Homies (1996/01/09)
    10.Play Your Cards Right (1996/01/10)
    11.If They Love Their Kidz (1996/01/12)
    12.Grab The Mic (1996/01/12)
    13.4 My Niggaz (He Vs. She) (1996/01/13)
    14.This Life I Lead (1996/01/18)
    15.World Wide M.O.B. Figgaz (1996/01/18-21)
    16.Never Be Peace (1996/01/30)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2025 at 6:15 AM

    The chronological order does not sound good. It is much better to follow the original concept of the album. The second tracklist of the album Thug Life Volume 2 gather tracks logically : a part with Mopreme, part given to Napoleon & Kastro...

    ReplyDelete

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